COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of the ACLS UPDATE course, students will have the skills necessary to:
- Recognize and initiate early management of peri arrest conditions that may result in cardiac arrest or complicate resuscitation outcome.
- Demonstrate proficiency in providing BLS care including prioritizing chest compressions and integrating the use of an AED.
- Recognize and manage respiratory arrest.
- Recognize and manage cardiac arrest until termination of resuscitation or transfer of care, including post cardiac arrest care.
- Recognize and manage acute coronary syndromes, including appropriate disposition.
- Recognize and initiate early management of stroke, including appropriate disposition.
- Demonstrate effective team communication both as a team leader and team member.
DESCRIPTION:
Through didactic instruction and active participation in simulated cases students will enhance their skills and clinical decision-making abilities for the DX and treatment of cardiopulmonary arrest, acute arrhythmia, stroke, and ACS. Class duration is approximately 5 - 7 hours in length, depending upon the preparedness of the student with pre-course study.
COURSE CONTENT:
Key changes in cardiovascular life support reflecting the most current American Heart Association guidelines.
Recognition and management of respiratory and cardiac arrest.
The 10 core cases of the ACLS program.
Airway management and related pharmacology.
Simple VF/VT, complex VF/VT, PEA, and asystole.
Four types of pre-arrest emergencies.
Management of ACS and stroke.
Effective team communication.
Successful skills test for megacode management.
INTENDED FOR:
Unexpired ACLS certification personnel such as Physicians, Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, EMTs, etc., and anyone who may respond to a cardiovascular emergency in a professional setting.
LICENSE INFORMATION:
Indicate in the "comments" section when you register: the State your license was issued in, your license type (RN, RT, PT, etc), and your license number.
STUDENT MANUAL:
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION MANDATORY REQUIREMENT: A current AHA ACLS student manual is required to be brought to class. We have exhausted our supply so students are responsible for obtaining manuals on their own. Students without a current manual or without access to an e-book for use during class will not be admitted to class. Students may provide their own manual as long as it is the current edition.
PLEASE NOTE: We strongly recommend pre course study. On page "ii" of the ACLS manual, there is a website and pass code to access a 3-part pre course assessment test. Prior to studying, all students are encouraged to take the test, print the results and bring to class. The results are not reported - the test is simply a tool to help the student measure their preparedness for the course, and to aid the instructor to better assess the needs of the student.